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Next week, Game of thrones will change forever. The Battle of Winterfell is approaching and more than likely, it means that thousands of people will die next Sunday, including many heroes of the series.
But before all that can happen, there is calm before the storm. Episode 2 of Season 8 was a slow, fantastic burn, featuring excellent conversations in elegant halls, as Tyrion would say. There were long-awaited meetings, key interactions for the first time, jokes, a merry Brienne, a Gendrya and Tyrion ship offering a good dialogue for the first time in years. Alleluia!
The episode also provided some hints on what a post-White Walker Westeros might look like. Sansa and Daenerys discussed what would happen to the North if Dany called for the iron throne (though they came to no conclusion). Jorah reminded Lyanna that she is the future of Mormont House. Almost all the characters lamented their seemingly impending death. And in the crypts of Winterfell, Jon shared the knowledge of his filiation with Daenerys, revealing that he is the truly born son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. As Daenerys herself says, "If it were true, it would make you the last male heir to the Targaryen House. You could pretend to the iron throne. "
Before Jon and Dany can comprehend all the implications of Jon's potential claim, a horn call is calling them for them to fight. Although viewers seemed to be left unresolved, this episode included highly relevant predictions about their long-term future. Just before Jon and Dany meet in front of Lyanna's grave, Podrick Payne sings a song at Tyrion's request. It's a song known as "Jenny's Song," already mentioned in A storm of swords, the third novel of the A song of ice and fire series. In the books, only the very first line of "Jenny's Song" has been revealed. This episode gave us the rest of the lyrics:
High in the corridors of the departed kings
Jenny would dance with her ghosts
The ones she had lost and the ones she had found
And those who loved him the most
Those who have been away for so long
She could not remember their names
They spun on the wet and cold stones
Filmed all his sorrow and his pain
And she never wanted to leave
I never wanted to leave
I never wanted to leave
I never wanted to leave
I never wanted to leave
I never wanted to leave
These words feel almost too much on the nose for this episode. The "kings" room filled with "ghosts" and "cold, wet stones" is very similar to the Winterfell crypts. Thousands of Stark lords have been buried there over the generations. Jon can not "remember their names". And the line "never want to leave", that Pod repeats five times, seems to be a reminder of the ninth episode of season 4, when Ygritte, while she's dying, tells Jon that the two would have had to "stay in this cave". feeling in episode 1 this season when she told Jon that they "could stay a thousand years" at the waterfall where they flew away. Given all these parallels, it was the perfect beginning of the conversation between Jon and Daenerys.
But the choice to feature this song can also provide deeper prefigurations. First, some information about this piece: Jenny's owner is Jenny of Oldstones, who eventually married Duncan Targaryen. About half a century before the events of the series, Duncan was the heir to the Iron Throne. He was the eldest son of Aegon V, known as Aegon the Improbable, since he was crowned king only after a great council had let several other candidates pass over during the year. 39, an unclear succession. During the reign of Aegon V, the fourth Blackfyre rebellion broke out and, although the crown finally ended the civil war, it was a time of turmoil in the kingdom, the high lords of Westeros becoming less willing to capitulate to the dragon. less Targaryens.
In an attempt to strengthen his family's control over the Seven Kingdoms, Aegon V opposed the tradition of Targaryen's incestuous marriage and promised many children to other homes: Prince Jaehaerys was engaged to a Tully ; Prince Daeron at a Redwyne; Princess Shaera to a Tyrell. And Duncan, the Crown Prince, was promised to a daughter of Lord Lyonel Baratheon. But there was a problem: Duncan fell in love with and married Jenny, a commoner. Jenny could never be an acceptable match for a king, and Aegon V and his little advice prompted Duncan to choose: the throne or Jenny. He chose his wife.
It turned out to be calamitous. After Duncan denied his wishes, Lyonel Baratheon rebelled. The rebellion was quickly quelled, but Duncan's choice also allowed his younger brother, Jaehaerys II, to become heir to the Iron Throne. Jaehaerys II was a sickly man, and he reigned for only three short years before dying and his son, Aerys II, the infamous crazy king, took over. We know how it turned out.
Using "Jenny's Song" in this context allows us to sketch an end-game in which Daenerys or Jon may have to make a choice similar to the one Duncan had made half a century ago. Will one of the two have to give up his claim to the iron throne? If so, should he be the one who has pursued the throne throughout his adult life or whoever is the legitimate heir to the line of male succession? Could they give up the throne as Duncan and Jenny did? Or could they overturn Duncan's choice and, instead of deciding between a crown and a spouse, to have both? Davos hinted at a marriage between Jon and Dany in episode 1 this season. The two may realize that the best way to govern Westeros would be to do it together. (Throwing fuel on the fire of this theory: Duncan is one of the few Targaryen who, like Jon, has black hair instead of the distinctive platinum blonde.)
Daenerys may like Jon Snow, as she said in this week's episode, but to keep him by her side, she may have to accept him as a co-leader. Jon could always give up his request, but it would still cause waves across the Seven Kingdoms if Rhaegar's son was married to the queen. Daenerys and Jon can have their love one for the other and also a throne; but will the throne be big enough for both of them? Sam's words in the premiere of this season: "Did you give your crown to save your people, would it do the same?" – still resonate in episode 2.
The importance of Jenny's story does not end with Duncan's role. In the books, one of Jenny's closest companions was a witch who claimed to have a vision of the future. Jenny brought the witch to the court of Egon V, claiming that she was one of the children of the forest. The witch claimed that the announced prince was a Targaryen born of the lineage of Aerys and Rhaella, two of Jaehaery's children (this witch). By the way, she is still alive in books and she passed on to the Bannerless Fraternity her vision of red and purple weddings. In response to this prophecy, Jaehaerys II had both married. Of course, this couple became parents of Daenerys and Jon's grandparents. Without Jenny, there could be neither Jon Snow nor Daenerys Targaryen. And if the witch is right, one of the Dany or Jon – or both – could be the prince who was promised.
Duncan and Jenny (and Aegon V) died in the tragedy of Summerhall about four decades before the events of the series. Summerhall was a kind of summer residence (hence the name) of Targaryen until it was lit on fire in a big, mysterious fire. That explains why "Jenny's Song" is so sad – her story and Duncan's story ends in a sudden and unhappy death.
But the same day as this tragedy, a new life announces: Rhaegar Targaryen was born in Summerhall while the castle was set on fire. (He also had a great passion for visiting the ruins and, as a musician known for his singing and playing of his silver harp, there are some clues to suggest that he may have been there. 39; author of "Jenny's Song.") Like Duncan, Rhaegar once chose love rather than the crown, when he abandoned his first wife, Elia Martell, and married Lyanna Stark in secret. It was also a disastrous choice for the Seven Kingdoms: after Rhaegar fled with Lyanna, Robert rebelled, thousands died, and the Targaryen dynasty nearly choked. The monarchs of Westeros can often have love or peace – it was rare for them to capture both.
Daenerys and Jon have a chance to do what Duncan and Rhaegar could not do: they can choose love and the iron Throne. But first, they will have to come out of the Battle of Winterfell – and the obstacles this season will set against them – before they can make that decision.
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